Day One Hundred Twenty Six 2013

We’ve had a very expensive week at our house. Last Monday, the starter died on our [late 20th century] car and had to be replaced. Saturday, Neil discovered our water heater was leaking [and had been for some time apparently], so that had to be replaced. To complete this trilogy of unfortunate events, we were forced to replace our TV [after lots of denial, as in ‘maybe it’s the cable’]. Folklorists say the concept that three bad things happen together is an ancient superstition that remains a strong modern belief and is based on the psychological need to believe that a bad cycle will end. I’m not a superstitious person, but right now I’m feeling that psychological need to believe. I'd say wish us luck, but that would be superstitious.

Day One Hundred Twenty Five 2013

Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.   
~Henry Van Dyke

Day One Hundred Twenty Four 2013

PROM NIGHT



This is senior prom night for my seventeen year old niece, Sarah. Isn’t she gorgeous? I told her she looked like a princess. She’s a natural beauty, inside and out, and I love her to pieces. I hope she has the time of her life tonight. Two weeks from today, she graduates high school and heads off into her future and, I think, the most fun part of the journey. Love you, Sarah!

Day One Hundred Twenty Three 2013

T  G  I  F

What better way to celebrate TGIF than to hit Cream City Ice Cream And Coffee Shop for a sweet frozen goody after school this afternoon. Granddaughter Shelby and grandson Elijah were happy about the whole idea. Neil, on the other hand, could be Grumpy Cat’s twin.

While they were deciding on their decadent treat …

… I already knew I wanted/needed/had to have a scoop of Cookie Dough [and this picture simply does not do the yumminess of it justice at all].

We got comfy in the back room. Elijah said this was his favorite chair and he wanted to take it home, but I’m sure the Cream City folks might frown on that. Friday never tasted so good!

Happy TGIF, y’all! Hope yours was most excellent.

Day One Hundred Twenty Two 2013

TODAY …

Neil and I got to enjoy a yummy meal at our favorite Thai food place, which finally reopened this week after being closed since the end of March.

We got to watch grandson Elijah play T Ball. (His team lost 30 ~ 18.)

We got to be with peeps ~ dugout daughter Holly and granddaughter Shelby and coach son in law Jerry.

We got to enjoy a beautiful sunset and spectacular cloud formations on the way home from the game. It was pouring rain from those dark clouds somewhere in town.

And we got to enjoy coming home to a clean front porch, which took the better part of this afternoon to scrub off  the dirt and pollen and tree seeds (which refuse to go away). So thankful to have had the energy to ‘getter done’ and very thankful for this life that God blesses me with each day. It’s all good. Hope you enjoyed a blessed Thursday.

Day One Hundred Twenty One 2013

Pretty In Purple





All the other colors are just colors, but purple seems to have a soul. Purple is not just a noun and an adjective but also a verb - when you look at it, it's looking back at you.
~Uniek Swain

Day One Hundred Twenty 2013

Grandson Elijah lost his second upper front tooth today. He could wiggle it, but it was nowhere near as loose as the other one that finally came out a few days ago. I told his mom yesterday that it would be weeks before this one dropped out. Shows you how much I know.

He says he really won’t be able to eat apples now, just apple slices. But Pop Tarts and bananas ~ no problem, cause they’re soft. His new teeth are already coming in. Cool kid, with or without teeth.

Day One Hundred Nineteen 2013

Once again, our roof is covered in Maple tree seeds ~ a rite of Spring, I suppose. They clog the gutters and stick to the bottom of your shoes and get tracked through the house. I call them helicopters or whirly things. I know they are necessary to carry on the Maple tree population, yet I loathe them. I mean, why does there have to be so many of them? But, what are you going to do? Chop down all the Maple trees? It’s a thought, but I enjoy the shade they provide in the Summer, and I love their colors in the Fall. It’s my rite of Spring to complain about them. Thanks for listening.

From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow.
~Aeschylus

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
One year today. Miss you, Mom!

Day One Hundred Eighteen 2013

Yummy DQ Butterfinger Blizzard ~ decadent Sunday treat. We ended up in the middle of a birthday party for some kid. His/her friends sang ‘Happy birthday to you—cha cha cha—happy birthday to you—cha cha cha—‘ I’ve never heard that rendition before, but it was a fine performance.
Happy Sunday, everyone! Hope it was sweet.

Day One Hundred Seventeen 2013

Neil spent a lot of time today hanging new mini blinds on our living room windows. The old ones had been there for nearly thirty years. Back then, we couldn’t find blinds to fully cover our rather large, old-house windows.

I don’t have a before picture to show you, but take my word for it, the after blinds look so much better. And brighter. And definitely cleaner. Hooray for my handy man hubby!
Happy Saturday, y’all!

Day One Hundred Sixteen 2013

T G I F   random



Happy TGIF, everyone!

Day One Hundred Fifteen 2013

T BALL

Grandson Elijah had his game face on.

Lots of good fielding in the game.

And lots of good hustle.

And the batters all did their best. But Elijah’s gray team lost to the blue team 17~11. So much for Elijah’s prediction that this team would be easy [because they haven’t won a single game~well~until now]. You’ll get ‘em next time, guys!

Day One Hundred Fourteen 2013

Grandson Elijah’s stubborn loose tooth finally gave up and fell out all by itself today at school. He’d been wiggling that thing around for weeks.

He says it’s hard to bite apples and that he’ll have to eat apple slices. The other upper front tooth is loose, too. Stay tuned.

Day One Hundred Thirteen 2013

Pointed my camera at the bird feeder this afternoon, waiting for this dove to fly away so I could snap a bird-in-flight picture. But she sat there. And sat there. Until my arms got tired of holding the camera. Is it just me, or are doves the dumbest winged creatures? Or am I the dumbest armed creature, waiting for this dumb bird to fly away so I can take a picture? She sat there for so long that I thought, She’s got nowhere to be. Which made me think of a line from one of my favorite John Denver songs, appropriately titled Fly Away.
In this whole world there's nobody as lonely as she   There's nowhere to go and there's nowhere that she'd rather be
Stupid dove. [stupid human]

Day One Hundred Twelve 2013

Peace and happiness are available in every moment.
Peace is every step. We shall walk hand in hand.
There are no political solutions to spiritual problems.
Remember: If the Creator put it there, it is in the right place.
The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.
~An Indian Chief, 1876.